In June 1797, Lieutenant Davie removed into the Royal George, a first rate, bearing the flag of Lord Bridport, under whom he had served as a midshipman during the Spanish armament; and by whose advice he afterwards proceeded to Jamaica, where he was promoted to the command of the Tisiphone sloop, in July, 1800.
Captain Davie’s subsequent appointments were. May, 1801, to the Swallow brig; May, 1803, to the Sea Fencible service at Harwich; May, 1804, to the Hermes 10; and Dec. following, to the Favorite, an 18-gun ship-sloop.
In Sept. 1805, Captain Davie sailed for the coast of Africa, where he captured, after an action of 20 minutes, le General Blanchard French privateer, of 10 guns and 130 men; of whom 11 were killed, and 25 badly wounded: only one person, and he a passenger, was hurt on board the Favorite.
On the 6th Jan. 1806, nine days after the above affair. Captain Davie had the misfortune to be taken by a French squadron under Mons. l’Hermite, consisting of one 80-gun ship, two large frigates, and a brig. Luckily for him, however, the enemy likewise took an English merchant brig in ballast about the same time, and the chef d’escadre determined to establish her as a cartel, in order to get rid of his captives; Captain Davie signing an agreement by which a similar number of Frenchmen, corresponding in rank, were to be exchanged for them immediately after their arrival in England; and in case the British government refused to accede to this arrangement. Captain Davie and his companions in misfortune were bound to go over to France, and surrender themselves as prisoners.
In Oct. 1806, the exchange being effected and his court-martial over. Captain Davie was appointed to the Hyacinth sloop, then on the North Sea station, but subsequently sent with despatches to Rio de Janeiro, where he removed into the Foudroyant 80, bearing the flag of Sir W. Sidney Smith; which ship he commanded from January until May, 1809. His post commission bears date Aug 22, in the same year.
Captain Davie’s next appointments were, April 1812, to the Ardent 64, armed en flute: and on the 7th of the following month, to the Leyden another fourth rate, fitted for the
